Gas flow dispenser bag

ABSTRACT

A dispenser for dispensing a stream of gas includes a lacunary mass which holds the liquefied gas. The mass is enclosed in a bag which is impermeable to the mass, but is permeable to the liquid and to the gas resulting from vaporization of the liquid.

1451 Oct. 10, 1972 United States Patent Rousselot GAS FLOW DISPENSER BAG [72] Inventor:

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS Felix Rousselot, Liguge, France [73] Assignee: Clba-Geigy Corporation, Ardsley,

Moeller....................206/.7 X

[22] Filed: March 12, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 18,957

Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack ABSTRACT A dispenser for dispensing a stream of gas includes a lacunary mass which holds the liquefied gas. The mass is enclosed in a bag which is impenneable to the mass, but is permeable to the liquid and to the gas resulting from vaporization of the liquid.

5 Clairm, 2 Drawing Figures H 5 n wam 0mwd 9 ,7 mm 8 m m flm m mm WW m fi nw 1% .w mm.) mu" "nu e u m In mr m m u "m" p9 a p6 nnh A mm W4 l Lhf '0 W m d s fim M UIF m HUN 3 5w PATENTED UN 1 0 I972 FIG! INVENTOR FELIX ROUSSELOT BY WM ATTORNEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for discharging a stream of gas, and more particularly, to improvements in pushbutton dispensers of the aerosol can type in which the compressed gas is used as a propellant.

The present application relates to and is an improvement of the system disclosed in applicant's copending application, Ser. No. 763,5 75 filed Sept. 30, 1968.

According to the said copending application Ser. No. 763,575, an aerosol dispenser comprising a tight enclosure or container is equipped with a lacunary mass which fills the main part of the container. By lacunary mass is meant a material which is porous or spongy or in a powdery state, and materials being capable of holding a liquid by adsorption or absorption. The liquid propellant is thus given a greatly increased surface, and its rate of evaporation is proportionately enhanced.

However, the use of such a system presents certain disadvantages in manufacture. The tight enclosure or container is equipped with a dispensing valve. To prevent clogging of this valve by the powdery mass, it is necessary to provide filtering components. These filtering components must be positioned between the mass and the dispensing valve. The filtering components may consist of a felt, cotton, or sponge, or a screen which may or may not be integral with the valve body. In normal manufacturing operations, such filtering components are installed after the powdery mass is introduced into the container and before the valve is fastened on the container. Thus, it is manifest that inclusion of such filtering components involves and results in an additional assembly operation. This, of course, involves an additional expense.

In addition, when-the powderymasses are handled in the same manufacturing facilities where the dispensing unit is assembled, such facilities must be equipped with rather expensive systems for eliminating dust as a result of handling such powder. This, of course, is an expensive facility.

With these disadvantages in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a dispensing unit adapted to contain a lucunary mass, but which may be equipped and assembled in a much less expensive manner.

I It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a dispensing unit which eliminates the necessity to provide a filtering component within the container.

These objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention by providing a bag which encloses the lacunary mass within the container. The bag is impermeable to the mass, but is permeable to the liquefied propellant and to the gas phase thereof resulting from the vaporization of the liquefied propellant. The provision of the bag eliminates the necessity for filtering components. This, of course, eliminates the additional manufacturing operation, and as a result reduces manufacturing costs. The bag also may be filled with the lacunary mass in a location other than the location of the assembly of the dispensing unit. This results in the elimination of the need for an expensive dust collection system in the dispensing unit manufacturing facility.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be made clear by the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevated sectional view of a storage chamber used as the tight container in a liquefied gas dispenser, with a bag containing the lacunary mass at the time it is introduced into the enclosure; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 after the bag has been made to occupy virtually the entire volume of the storage chamber, and after the valve of the gas dispenser has been installed.

Referring now to the drawings, a generally cylindrical storage chamber 101 having an inside diameter D is shown. Storage chamber 101 has an opening 102 having a diameter d which is smaller than diameter D. In accordance with the present invention, a bag 104 is shown filled with a lacunary mass 105. When the bag 104 is filled, it has the shape generally of a cylinder whose diameter is slightly smaller than smaller than small d, and whose height is much greater than that of storage chamber 101, as shown in FIG. 1. When the bag has been completely assembled within the storage chamber 101, the dispensing valve 106 is set onto opening 102, as shown in FIG. 2.

The bag 104 may be filled with lacunary mass in a preliminary operation which may be performed in facilities other than those in which the dispensing unit is assembled. Bag 104 is filled with powder 105 in a suitable manner, and is then closed immediately by any suitable means such as by gluing, sewing, or sealing. Mass 105 constitutes the storage material intended for the propellant which is liquefied under pressure and adsorbed by such mass. Mass 105 may consist of any material suitable for this purpose, as is discussed in said copending application Ser. No. 763,575.

Bag 104 may consist of any suitable material. Suitable examples might consist of various cloths having natural or synthetic fibers, various unsized papers such as blotting paper, filter paper, or news print, felts obtained by agglomeration without weaving of natural or synthetic fibers, or microporous synthetic films. It is, of course, to be recognized that the material used for the bag must be compatible with the propellant and product used in the dispensing unit.

A material which is particularly well suited to this purpose is unsized crepe paper. This paper has close corrugations which may be folded and unfolded. This allows the bag to be distorted without tearing.

At the location of the assembly of the dispensing units, the filled bag is inserted into opening 102 of storagechamber 101. When the lower extremity of the bag comes in contact with the bottom 103 of the storage chamber, the upper extremity of the bag is situated considerably above opening 102. Pressure is then applied by any suitable means on the upper extremity of bag 104. This pressure is transmitted through the mass contained within the bag to the sides of the bag. This causes the sides be distorted until they approach the inner walls of storage chamber 101, as shown by position 104a in FIG. 2.

Bag 104 is dimensioned with respect to storage chamber 101 such that it may be completely inserted within storage chamber 101 and virtually fills the storage chamber.

Valve 106 is then set and sealed onto opening 102. The propellant fluid is then injected into storage chamber -1 through valve 106 at the desired pressure and temperature, such that it will permeate through the bag 104 and condense on lacunary mass 105. When valve 106 is actuated to operate the dispenser, the propellant may pass through bag 104. However, bag 104 remains impermeable to mass 105.

Thus, it is seen that the present invention enables the use of the lacunary mass described in said copending application Ser. No. 763,575, but also allows the elimination'of the problems caused by the necessity of providing filtering components and dust collection systems.

Although a single embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, such description is intended to be illustrative only, and not restricted, since many details of the construction of the invention may be altered or modified without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For instance, it is quite apparent that many variations of the type of material used for bag 104 are possible.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for producing a flow of gas under pressure, including a tight enclosure equipped with at least one exhaust valve and which contains a liquefied gas dispersed within a lacunary mass, wherein said mass is contained in a bag which is impermeable to said mass but is permeable to said liquefied gas and the gas phase thereof upon the vaporization of said liquefied gas, said bag being loosely positioned within said tight enclosure resting on the bottom thereof and spaced from said exhaust valve.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bag is made of a material selected from the group consisting of woven cloth or unwoven felt composed of natural or synthetic fibers, unsized papers, microporous synthetic films.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bag is made of material capable of being distorted without destruction.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein, prior to being positioned in said enclosure, said bag is taller and narrower than said enclosure, said bag when distorably positioned in said enclosure being shorter than said enclosure.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said distortable bag material is unsized crepe paper.

II i k i 

1. A device for producing a flow of gas under pressure, including a tight enclosure equipped with at least one exhaust valve and which contains a liquefied gas dispersed within a lacunary mass, wherein said mass is contained in a bag which is impermeable to said mass but is permeable to said liquefied gas and the gas phase thereof upon the vaporization of said liquefied gas, said bag being loosely positioned within said tight enclosure resting on the bottom thereof and spaced from said exhaust valve.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bag is made of a material selected from the group consisting of woven cloth or unwoven felt composed of natural or synthetic fibers, unsized papers, microporous synthetic films.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bag is made of material capable of being distorted without destruction.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein, prior to being positioned in said enclosure, said bag is taller and narrower than said enclosure, said bag when distorably positioned in said enclosure being shorter than said enclosure.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said distortable bag material is unsized crepe paper. 